Travers

Travers was a wizard and a prominent Death Eater, known for his unwavering loyalty to Lord Voldemort. He was an active participant in both the First Wizarding War and the Second Wizarding War. His notoriety stems from his involvement in the brutal murder of the McKinnons and his significant encounters with Harry Potter and his friends during their hunt for Horcruxes.

As one of Lord Voldemort's original followers, Travers was deeply involved in the atrocities of the First Wizarding War. His most infamous act during this period was his participation in the murder of Marlene McKinnon and her entire family. Following Voldemort's first downfall, Travers was apprehended by the Ministry of Magic. During the trial of Igor Karkaroff, Karkaroff attempted to bargain for his freedom by offering information on other Death Eaters, naming Travers as one who took part in the McKinnon murders. However, Barty Crouch Sr., who was presiding over the Wizengamot, dismissed this information, stating that the Ministry had already captured Travers. This implies he was sentenced to Azkaban along with many other convicted Death Eaters.

Travers was among the ten high-security prisoners who staged a mass breakout from Azkaban in January 1996, rejoining Lord Voldemort's forces. He remained an active and trusted servant throughout the second conflict. In July 1997, Travers participated in the Battle of the Seven Potters. He was seen pursuing Kingsley Shacklebolt and Hermione Granger, the latter of whom was disguised as a Harry Potter decoy. In March 1998, Travers encountered Hermione Granger (disguised as Bellatrix Lestrange via Polyjuice Potion), Harry Potter (under his Invisibility Cloak), and Ron Weasley (transfigured into a new identity) in Diagon Alley. The Trio was on their way to Gringotts Wizarding Bank to retrieve a Horcrux from the Lestrange Vault. Travers, who was on his way to see a fellow Death Eater about a goblin-related matter, was initially suspicious of Hermione's uncharacteristically polite behaviour. However, intimidated by the reputation of Bellatrix Lestrange, he quickly became subservient. To prevent him from raising the alarm, Hermione placed him under the Imperius Curse. Travers later fought in the Battle of Hogwarts on 2 May 1998. During the battle, he was seen dueling Parvati Patil, who successfully defeated him using the Full Body-Bind Curse (Petrificus Totalus). His ultimate fate following Voldemort's final defeat is unknown, but it is highly likely he was either killed in the fighting or captured and returned to Azkaban.

Travers is described as a wizard with a “long, curved nose and heavy-lidded eyes.” He typically wore the robes and mask of a Death Eater. His personality was that of a typically cruel and ruthless Death Eater, showing no remorse for his role in the murder of an entire family. He was also sycophantic and fearful of those in Voldemort's inner circle whom he perceived as having higher status, such as Bellatrix Lestrange. Despite this, he possessed a degree of cunning and suspicion, as demonstrated when he initially questioned Hermione's identity in Diagon Alley.

Travers was a competent and dangerous wizard, trusted enough by Lord Voldemort to participate in major battles.

• Dark Arts: As a Death Eater, Travers was proficient in the Dark Arts and was capable of casting Unforgivable Curses, having used them to commit murder.
• Dueling: He was a skilled duelist, having fought in both the Battle of the Seven Potters and the Battle of Hogwarts. However, he was ultimately defeated in a duel by Parvati Patil, a student.
• Susceptibility to Curses: He proved susceptible to powerful magic, as he was successfully subdued by both the Imperius Curse and the Full Body-Bind Curse.

• Wand: Travers owned a wand, though its specific wood, core, and length are unknown.

• Lord Voldemort: Travers was a loyal and long-serving follower of Lord Voldemort, serving him in both wizarding wars.
• Fellow Death Eaters: He operated alongside other Death Eaters such as Antonin Dolohov and feared higher-ranking members like Bellatrix Lestrange.
• The McKinnons: Travers was one of the Death Eaters directly responsible for the murder of Marlene McKinnon and her family.
• Hermione Granger: He had a direct confrontation with Hermione in Diagon Alley, where she outwitted and cursed him while disguised as Bellatrix Lestrange.

The surname Travers is of French and English origin, deriving from the Old French verb traverser, meaning “to cross over” or “to pass through.” This could be a symbolic reference to his having “crossed over” to the Dark Arts or his role in crossing paths with the heroes at a critical juncture in their quest.

• The Travers family is listed as one of the “Sacred Twenty-Eight”, a list of twenty-eight British families that were supposedly “truly pure-blood” by the 1930s. (Pottermore)
• In supplementary material, his first name is given as Torquil. (Pottermore)
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, a Death Eater identified as Travers is portrayed by actor Tav MacDougall. (film)
• In the film adaptations of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Part 2, he is portrayed by actor Nick Moran. (film)